Box Score
Oct. 12, 2010 - Concordia men's soccer team battled archrival Benedictine University under the lights in Lisle, needing a win to make up some ground in the Northern Athletics Conference standings. The Cougars took a 1-0 lead, but the Eagles came back with three unanswered goals, two in the final 21 minutes to take the 3-1 win and drop Concordia to 2-9-4 on the season (0-4-3 NAC).
Kevin Hughes (Itasca, IL/Lake Park) made the start in goal and made a couple of diving stops midway through the first half to keep the hosts off the board. Concordia then took advantage in the 29th minute with a pretty goal by freshman Mario Grana (Elmhurst, IL/York Community). Grana settled a loose ball in the middle of the pitch about 20 yards from goal. He took a couple of soft touches to an open space and chipped a shot from about 13 yards over the keeper's outstretched hands into the corner of the net for his first collegiate goal.
Unfortunately for the Cougars, their lead lasted just over two minutes. Giancarlo Chavez got behind the Cougars' defense in the center of the box and hit a hard shot that Hughes got his hands on but could not control. The ball carried into the net for a 1-1 tie, a score that would hold up through the end of the half.
Concordia had a few opportunities to break the deadlock in the early portion of the second half. Benedictine's keeper stopped Andre Baker (Elmhurst, IL/York Community) on a breakaway, pouncing on the ball just before Baker could get off a shot from just inside the box. Kyle Joss (St. Charles, IL/North) had a good look from 15 yards out in the center, but his shot was bloced by a defender.
The Cougars' failure to clear their zone resulted in the Eagles' go-ahead goal. Franco Merenda intercepted a clearance in the middle of the field and hit a half-volley from 20 yards out that went over Hughes' head and settled in under the crossbar for a 2-1 Eagles' lead in the 70th minute.
Benedictine scored an insurance goal in the 79th minute. A corner kick was deflected to the far post where Frank Aguilera headed the ball home from point-blank range.
The Eagles finished with a 17-7 advantage in shots. Hughes was credited with five saves.
Concordia will host the Milwaukee School of Engineering on Saturday afternoon at 1:00. It will be Alumni Day as the Cougar men will recognize the fifth anniversary of their 2005 conference championship team.
